勅修百丈清規 5.48

5.48

In Sanskrit it is called pātra, which here means 'vessel conforming to measure'; now it is abbreviated as bo, and also called boyu, combining the Chinese and Sanskrit terms. The Abhiniṣkramaṇa Sūtra says: 'In North India there were two merchant leaders, one named Trapuṣa and the other Bhallika, who offered the World-Honoured One roasted flour, curd, and honey lumps. The World-Honoured One contemplated: "The Buddhas of the past all received and held a bowl vessel; in what vessel should I now receive the food of the merchant leaders?" At that time, the Four Heavenly Kings promptly came together holding four golden bowls to offer up. The World-Honoured One did not accept them, because those who have left the household are not permitted to keep such items. Those Four Heavenly Kings further brought four silver bowls, crystal bowls, lapis lazuli bowls, red pearl bowls, agate bowls, and mother-of-pearl bowls to offer up, but he accepted none of them. Then the Heavenly King Vaiśravaṇa of the north told the other three heavenly kings, "I recall in the past, deities of blue hue brought four stone vessels to offer to us, which could be used to receive food." At that time, another devaputra named Vairocana said, "Worthy ones, take care not to receive food in these stone vessels, but only offer them to the Tathāgata. There will be a Tathāgata named Śākyamuni appearing in the world; you should bring these four stone bowls and offer them to that Tathāgata." Then the Four Heavenly Kings together brought the four stone bowls and offered them to the Buddha. The World-Honoured One thought: "The Four Heavenly Kings offer me four bowls with faithful and pure minds; if I accept from one person, the others will each feel regret. I will now accept all four bowls, holding them to make a single bowl." Placing them in sequence, stacked upon his left hand, he pressed down with his right hand, joining them into a single bowl with four rims on the outside. Then he spoke a gāthā: / "My past merits and fruits are all fulfilled; / Having generated a pure mind of compassion, / Therefore now the four great heavenly kings / Purely and firmly bestow bowls upon me."'